Every April, thousands of golfers – both professional and amateur – begin the grueling battle for a coveted spot in the 156-player field of one of golf’s major championships.
This year, a record-breaking 10,202 are set to compete to tee it up alongside Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and several other of the biggest names in the sport at the 2025 US Open.
Yet, some of those attempting to make it to Oakmont in June are already famous faces in their own right.
Local qualifying for the third major of the year begins this week, with some notable names leading the pack.
NFL legend Tony Romo headlines the US Open hopefuls alongside former New York Yankee Aaron Hicks.
Romo, a former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, but is no stranger to the golf course. The retired football star has made several late drives to become a two-sport professional athletes, having previously attempted to make it on the PGA Tour.
Rory McIlroy won the first major of the year but now famous faces are battling for the third
NFL legend Tony Romo is set to compete in local qualifying for the US Open once again
Romo, now an NFL commentator for CBS, has taken cracks at the PGA Tour’s Q-School pre-qualifying for the past three years. However, the +2.6-hanicapper has advanced out of the pre-qualifier only once.
This isn’t his first attempt at the US Open either with Romo becoming a regular at local qualifying since hanging up his cleats. His most successful attempt came in 2010 when he advanced through the local stage, but had to withdraw from the final qualifier due to Cowboys OTAs.
Romo, who plays at Dallas National Golf Club, also played in three Korn Ferry Tour events in 2020 and 2021 – missing the cut all three times.
Meanwhile, Hicks is making the most of MLB free agency. The center fielder, who most recent played for the Los Angeles Angels, has found himself at a loose end this year after failing to land with a team for the 2025 season.
However, while he may not be on the diamond, it appears Hicks is certainly on the fairways. The 35-year-old is swapping baseball for golf in an attempt to make it to one of golf’s biggest stages.
Hicks is a passionate golfer and has previously been on the record claiming he wants to play on the PGA Tour.
He played in the LPGA’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January 2024 and returned to Lake Nona this year too. However, it was speculated that his 2024 appearance contributed to his messy offseason divorce with the Yankees.
The pair aren’t the only professional athletes to swap one sport for another as current New York Rangers forward JT Miller and former NFL running back Danny Woodhead are also set to compete in US Open qualifying.
MLB player Aaron Hocks (center) shares a laugh with Tiger Woods (R) at 2024 Genesis Open
Sam Saunders (R), the grandson of Arnold Palmer, will look to maintain the golfing legacy
Rangers forward JT Miller (pictured) and former running back Danny Woodhead will compete
The NHL star will have plenty of time to work on his swing after the Rangers failed to make this year’s playoffs. Miller and New York will bring the curtain down on a disappointing season against the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden Thursday night.
Happy Gilmore is also set to tee it up in local qualifying. No, not that Happy Gilmore. While Adam Sandler’s beloved cult classic character is set to return to screens later this year, an actual collegiate golfer who shares his name is embarking on his golfing career.
Gilmore, born Landon James Gilmore, is a freshman at Ball State, who also competed in qualifying last year.
Meanwhile, Sam Saunders and Will Wears tee it up with a golfing legacy to maintain. Both Saunders and Wears are grandsons of late golf legend Arnold Palmer, who passed away in 2016.
Saunders previously played on the PGA Tour and now competes on the Korn Ferry Tour, while Wears works as an assistant golf coach at Loyola University Maryland and in collegiate player development for Mizuno.
Local qualifying for the US Open is conducted over 18 holes at 110 sites in 43 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico and will take place between April 16-May 19.
Successful players will then advance to join a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes at 10 US and three international sites.
The final stage will be held in England, Japan and Texas on May 19, with 10 more qualifying sites scheduled for Monday, June 2: two in Ohio and one each in California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington and Canada.
